The committee formed its complaints and learning working group earlier this year. It is operating independently of the committee with a role to provide impartial scrutiny and bring independent thought to the issues under consideration. It is due to report to HSC later this year.
Last week it held briefing meetings with the customer care team and senior leaders at HSC and the Medical Specialist Group and politicians. Broader stakeholder meetings will follow.
Deputy Sally Rochester is chairing the group, which she said would enhance transparency, fairness and public confidence in the complaints process and ensure organisational learning where mistakes have been made.
‘The group will shape a set of recommendations, through engagement with HSC service users, staff and broader stakeholders,’ she said.
‘These recommendations, which we expect to deliver to the Committee for Health & Social Care in October, will be a significant step in enhancing the existing complaints process and ensuring organisational learning outcomes.’
The group will follow four workstreams:
Listening to HSC service users to understand their experiences, concerns and expectations. These sessions will be facilitated by CareWatch and Citizens Advice.
A listening exercise with HSC and MSG health and social care professionals to understand the challenges, barriers, and opportunities relating to complaints, feedback and learning. This will be facilitated by Simon West, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and current medical director and responsible officer for Health & Social Care in Jersey. Those sessions will start on 20 May.
An end-to-end review of the current joint HSC and MSG complaints process assessing whether it is appropriately designed and is being delivered effectively, which will be audited by professionals.
Undertake internal research and review into policy and models to define issues around complaints, determine the resources used by the current process, and gather examples of best practice from other jurisdictions.
Deputy Rochester said there were a number of ways for individuals to contribute to the group’s work.
There is more information on its webpage at gov.gg/CLWG.
The membership of the CLWG brings together a range of professional, clinical, complaints and lived‑experience perspectives.
Deputy Sally Rochester, member of the Committee for Health & Social Care, is its chair.
Vice-chair is US attorney Carrie Sperling, who has specialised in complaint reviews and independent investigations.
Deputy Marc Leadbeater, Home Affairs president and former HSC vice-president.
Douglas Melville, chief executive of the Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman, who has international experience in ombudsman leadership, mediation, governance and user‑centred complaints systems.
Sue Ryde, a former educator, policy officer and Co‑op director with lived experience of HSC’s complaints process.
Airline pilot Mike Read, a non-voting member of HSC with experience across a range of health charities and patient groups, including CareWatch and the Guernsey Disability Alliance.
Senior social worker Charlotte Carr, a specialist in complex adult disability.
Dr Nicholas Branch, a consultant in emergency medicine with experience in governance, clinical incident review and legal practice. As an active BMA representative, his expertise strengthens the Group’s understanding of how complaints overlap with clinical practice and patient safety.
Abbie Duncan, a qualified financial adviser with lived experience of navigating HSC’s complaints process.
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